Traditional CAD technology only allows for the creation and submission of 2D drawings. To help homeowners and users who find architectural drawings difficult to understand, it is often necessary to hire a rendering company to produce 3D visualizations. When one or two renderings are insufficient to clearly convey the design, commissioning a modeling company to create physical building models becomes necessary. Although renderings and physical models offer visual representations, these methods are limited to showcasing design concepts and do not assist project teams in performing engineering analyses to enhance the overall project quality.
The key difference between CAD drawings and BIM (Building Information Modeling) lies in their approach and capabilities. CAD drawing is comparable to drawing by hand, but with the assistance of computer technology. It consists of lines, curves, arcs, and blocks that form the CAD environment. Information about the building is represented through points, lines, and annotations. While this data is digital, it cannot be intelligently calculated or analyzed.
In contrast, BIM creates building elements such as beams, columns, walls, pipes, and cable trays as independent objects. Each object carries attributes that contain information, which can be directly accessed and utilized. These objects are combined to form the desired structure by modifying their attributes.
This is what constitutes a BIM building information model. BIM serves not only as a database but also as a knowledge base. It stores all data and information throughout a building’s lifecycle and accumulates the knowledge and experience of designers across various disciplines. The construction industry gradually integrates both parametric and non-parametric information into the BIM model to meet the demands of the entire lifecycle and all project phases.
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